AUTHENTICATING A USER ACCOUNT WITH A CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• US 20160219027A1
• Filed: 01/28/2015
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Kaplan, Josh, Cook, Adam, Poletto, Stephen, Wright, Thomas, Faraone, Luke
• Granted Patent: US 9,781,089 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for authenticating a user account with a content management system are disclosed. A synchronized content management system may receive an identifier via a first access platform. The identifier may be associated with a device. The content management system can generate a link based on the identifier and the device. The link may be then send to the device by using the identifier. When accessed by the device, the link may authenticate a user account associated with the device at a second access platform.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a content management system and via a first access platform associated with a user account, an identifier associated with a device;

generating, via a processor, a link; and

sending the link to the device by using the identifier, wherein the link, when accessed at the device, is configured to authenticate the user account with the content management system at a second access platform.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the device is a mobile device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a phone number.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first access platform is a website associated with the content management system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the identifier is received via a text field displayed on the website.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second access platform is a client application associated with the content management system.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the link comprises a uniform resource locator (URL).

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the link comprises code that is uniquely generated for the user account.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the link comprises code that is uniquely generated for the second access platform.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the link is sent to the device via a text message.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the link, when accessed at the device, is further configured to:

when an application associated with the content management system is installed on the device;

open the application; and

log the application into the user account; and

when the application is not installed on the device;

cause the device to navigate to a URL where the application can be downloaded on to the device; and

log the application into the user account.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the URL is associated with an application store.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the identifier, authenticating the user account at the first access platform.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is received, via the first access platform, from the device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the device is a first device, and wherein the identifier is received, via the first access platform, from a second device different from the first device.

16. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a device associated with a user account, a link from a content management system, the link comprising code that uniquely identifies the device and the user account;

receiving a user input to access the link; and

by using the code, authenticating the user account on an application installed on the device, the application being associated with the content management system.

17. The system of claim 16, the computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

transmitting a phone number associated with the device to the content management system,

wherein the link is received from the content management system via a text message to the phone number.

18. The system of claim 16, the computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

when the application is not installed on the device at a time that the user input is received, installing the application on the device prior to authenticating the user account on the device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the user account is authenticated on the application without receiving user credential information from a user after receiving the link.

20. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a content management system and via a first access platform, an identifier associated with a device;

generating a link; and

sending the link to the device by using the identifier, wherein the link, when accessed by the device, is configured to authenticate, at a second access platform, a user account associated with the device.